South Korea Announces 86 New Chemicals Registered and Assessed under OSHA

On March 31, 2026, South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor (MoEL) announced the hazard and risk assessment results for 86 new chemical substances manufactured or imported during the first quarter of 2026. The announcement highlighted that 26 of these new chemical substances registered under K-OSHA pose significant health and safety hazards, prompting the issuance of mandatory workplace safety measures to protect industry workers.

The publication of these findings is part of MoEL's ongoing mandate under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (K-OSHA) to investigate chemical hazards preemptively. The recent disclosure details the names of the 86 substances, their specific hazard classifications, and the required preventive actions for workplaces. Specifically, 26 substances, including 'Potassium trifluorotris(perfluoroethyl)phosphate' and 'Dimethyldodecyl-4-vinylbenzyl ammonium chloride', were confirmed to pose risks such as acute toxicity, skin corrosion, and severe eye damage. The hazards are determined in accordance with the revised Standards for Classification and Labeling of Chemical Substances and Material Safety Data Sheet, based on the toxicity data submitted by registrants. Please refer to the MoEL Announcement No. 2026-192 for more details.

The MoEL has officially notified the relevant business owners of the necessary compliance actions based on these hazard evaluations. To ensure regulatory compliance and worker safety, affected employers must utilize the published hazard information as foundational data to establish or update their workplace chemical management systems. Companies are required to conduct safety and health training tailored to the specific characteristics of the chemicals handled on-site. Furthermore, businesses must implement strict preventive measures, including the provision of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)—such as respirators, protective gloves, and safety goggles—and the installation of local exhaust ventilation systems in areas where hazardous dust, mist, or vapors are generated. MoEL's regional offices will actively monitor and inspect facilities to verify the proper implementation of these worker protection measures.

Backgound

Under K-OSHA, companies are required to submit a hazard and risk investigation report to MoEL 30 days before the intended date of manufacturing or importing a new substance. For production or import volumes of less than 1 ton, the submission deadline is shortened to 14 days prior. Alternatively, companies that register their new chemical substances with the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment (MCEE) under K-REACH are considered to have fulfilled this reporting requirement. The MCEE is responsible for K-REACH registration and transfers the data required under K-OSHA to the MoEL for assessment.

The MoEL and the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) under the MCEE periodically publish the list of registered new chemical substances under K-OSHA and K-REACH, respectively. The last update by the MoEL was made on December 30, 2025 (see MoEL Announcement No. 2025-486).